Part 833

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Mary Ann CASEY embassy: 144 Avenue de la Liberte, 1002 Tunis-Belvedere mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: (1) 782-566 FAX: (1) 789-719

Flag description: red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy

Economy - overview: Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Detailed governmental control of economic affairs has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization of trade and commerce, simplification of the tax structure, and a cautious approach to debt. Real growth has averaged 4.5% in 1991-96, and inflation has been moderate. Growth in tourism and increased trade have been key elements in this solid record. Agricultural production accounted for a major portion of growth in GDP in 1996, growth having been adversely affected by drought in 1995. Further privatization, the attraction of increased foreign investment, and improvements in government efficiency are among the challenges for the future.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $43.3 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7.1% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,800 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.5% industry: 33.8% services: 52.7% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 6% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total: 2.917 million (1993 est.) by occupation: services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.) note : shortage of skilled labor

Unemployment rate: 16% (1995 est.)

Budget: revenues : $5.2 billion expenditures: $7.2 billion, including capital expenditures to $1.4 billion (1996 est.)

Industries: petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, food, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (1995)

Electricity - capacity: 1.7 million kW (1995 est.)

Electricity - production: 6.5 billion kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 678 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: olives, dates, oranges, almonds, grain, sugar beets, grapes; poultry, beef, dairy products

Exports: total value: $5.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: hydrocarbons, textiles, agricultural products, phosphates and chemicals partners: EU 75%, North African countries 7%, India 2%, US 1%

Imports: total value: $7.7 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: industrial goods and equipment 57%, hydrocarbons 13%, food 12%, consumer goods partners: EU countries 70%, North African countries 6%, US 5%, Japan 2%, Switzerland 1%

Debt - external: $9.6 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $221 million (1993)

Currency: 1 Tunisian dinar (TD) = 1,000 millimes

Exchange rates: Tunisian dinars (TD) per US$1 - 1.0075 (January 1997), 0.9985 (December 1996), 0.9733 (1996), 0.9458 (1995), 1.0116 (1994), 1.0037 (1993), 0.8844 (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Tunisia:Communications

Telephones: 560,000 (1996 est.)

Telephone system: the system is above the African average; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis domestic : trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat with back-up control station; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel